The Ministry of Heritage and Tourism along with Taiseer Platform, government institutions and private sector establishments will organise the first edition of ‘Bloom Hawana Salalah Festival’ (Flowers and Life Festival).

The event will be organised as part of activities of Khareef Dhofar season 2023. The festival will take place from July 27 to August 11, 2023 at Hawana Salalah, Dhofar Governorate.

The opening ceremony of the festival will be held under the patronage of HE Sheikh Faisal Abdullah Al Rowas, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry (OCCI).

The Festival is expected to attract around 10,000 visitors a day. It aims to provide an immersive and unforgettable experience that combines creativity and entertainment in a delightful environment, in addition to spreading awareness about environment preservation and sustainability, which will be reflected in the festival through various events and activities.

By partnering with different government parties and private sector companies, Taiseer Platform aims to contribute to the promotion of Khareef Dhofar (monsoon season 2023), and thus enhance the position of the Sultanate of Oman as a distinguished destination for tourists and visitors from all over the world. The Festival includes a mini-exhibition of plants that grow in the land of the Dhofar Governorate.

Talented Omani youth will add a distinctive touch and enrich the festival across the event sites through painting, playing music, street theater, and other arts, along with many other youth talents and creations. The festival also includes an entertaining Bloom challenges corner for families, youth and children, which will be available free of charge for entertainment, enthusiasm, and excitement lovers. It includes fun and exciting games, in addition to a mini corner for birds and pets that harmonise with visitors and the festival’s agenda.

In addition to a number of educational workshops, a diverse list of recreational activities will be held, which will be divided into several areas, including the flowers and plants area, the artistic and talent shows area, the garden of rare plants, birds and animals, the tropical food area, and many other activities.

The “Bloom Hawana Salalah” festival will be held in Marina Hawana Salalah, and it is expected to enrich visitors with many unique and new activities. As it is full of sites for capturing memories, the gardening and flowering area, in addition to the tropical fruits and planting area, the relaxation area, and the Bloom Container, through which visitors enjoy viewing natural life through a photo gallery with the support of a number of government institutions.

Marwan Abdul Hakim Al Ghassani, Director of Tourism Promotion Department at the Directorate General of Tourism in the Governorate of Dhofar said that this festival is organised in line with the approach of the authorities concerned in distributing tourist traffic to tourist destinations and sites in the Dhofar Governorate during the Khareef season.

He added that the festival is in harmony with the efforts made in the entertainment industry and the implementation of specialised programmes by creating innovative activities with a positive and sustainable impact that contribute to activating and creating new tourism patterns.